a) Field of Invention
This invention relates to a new or improved wash spray apparatus which is designed to produce a close spray pattern which swings through a conical range of movement to impinge upon an object such as an automobile, that is to be cleaned, describing a rapidly repeating pattern of overlapping circles thereon. Movement of the object to be cleaned longitudinally of the spray apparatus will produce a continuously sweeping circular spray suitable for use e.g. in cleaning the wheels, lower doors and rocker panels of an automobile in a car wash.
Description of the Prior Art
Over the years many of forms of spraying apparatus have been used in automatic car washes to provide desired cleaning patterns and spraying effects upon the automobiles, trucks, and the like that are to be cleaned.
For example U.S. Pat. No. 4,716,916 Hodge shows a car wash arrangement in which spraying nozzles are provided in manifolds arranged along the sides of the path of movement of the automobile through the car wash, the manifolds being oscillated at a suitable rate, e.g. 400 or 500 cycles per minute, so that every fractional surface of the vehicle is impinged by zero degree streams of pressurized water jets to provide an effective cleaning action.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,293 Burton discloses a vehicle washing apparatus in which a number of nozzles are mounted on elbows which are supplied from an angled rotating central pipe. As the central pipe rotates the clustered spray pattern from the nozzles rotates in a circular manner to wash the vehicle. Water is supplied to the rotating central pipe through a rotary joint, and this can create a sealing problem.